For enthusiasts of vintage gaming, restoring an old poker machine is like uncovering a time capsule. In the latest installment of this restoration series, Lawton Barnes continues his deep dive into reviving a 1986 IGT Joker’s Wild draw poker machine.
“This is part two out of four,” Barnes explains, as he begins running the machine through a series of self-tests to diagnose any necessary repairs. The process reveals a fascinating discovery: the highest winning hand on this particular unit is five of a kind—a rare feature only found in Joker’s Wild variants.
As he navigates the machine’s settings, Barnes tweaks brightness, color, and alignment controls, marveling at the differences in hardware compared to his other machines. Then comes an unexpected surprise: “Holy crap. These are custom card backs for Caesars in Atlantic City! I have only seen this on the internet before,” he exclaims. This rare detail makes the machine an even more unique find.
The testing continues with coin insertions and button functionality, where Barnes finds a few problem areas—one of the hold buttons is completely non-functional, and the monitor shows flickering issues. Additionally, the jackpot reset key is missing, requiring an innovative workaround. “Since the hole is too large for the key that I have, I’m just going to run the wires out and let a key dangle on the side,” he explains. It’s not a permanent fix, but it gets the job done.
Perhaps the most exciting revelation is the presence of an old-school jackpot bell. Unlike modern electronic machines, this one features a mechanical bell that rings when a jackpot is hit. “That thing is going to go off like a fire alarm!” Barnes exclaims. None of his other poker machines have this feature, making it a thrilling piece of casino history.
The episode concludes with a thorough cleaning session, removing years of tape residue and grime. “Thanks to the magic of editing, you didn’t have to watch the last 30 minutes of us scrubbing,” Barnes jokes, revealing a polished and refreshed machine.
What’s next for this vintage restoration project? In part three, Barnes will tackle repairing the control panel and permanently replacing the jackpot reset key. Until then, poker and arcade fans can follow along for more updates and expert restoration tips.
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